Oh, Edy, you poor thing. Does an ice pack help at all? I'm going to repost your request in red to make sure no one misses it.

From Edy - Prayer appreciated - I had oral surgery, today. The pain med I took, as ordered, before the local anesthetic wore off has made me so sick, I'd have rather endured the pain. I'm also supposed to take ibuprofen for its anti-inflammatory effects, but if I can't keep food down, I don't want to try the ibu on an empty stomach. Uff da!

Verna, thanks for your kind words. You're so sweet. It's just a tough time right now for so many reasons.

Don, it isn't too much warmer here. We have a low of 10 tonight. We got about 4 1/2" of snow here, but it sounds like you guys got more. There was more in WI, too, 12 1/2" north of here.

During the hot summer when the temps became unbearable for many, I patiently listened to people everywhere complain about the heat. But not me. I love the heat and I hate the cold, so I saved my best bellyaching for winter. I don't like snow, ice, cold temps, difficulty driving, people being hurt in accidents, shoveling, tightness/pain in my neck/shoulder (old work injury), sinus pressure when my heat is running (even though I try not to be close to the vents when it's running, and I use the better furnace filters that block allergens), and the cost of snow removal. We have something new in our area - a community time bank. It's basically a way to connect online with people in your community and barter. You post services that you can offer to others. If/when someone takes you up on those offers, you earn "time dollars". Then you can post a request for a service you need, and if someone provides it, you can spend your "time dollars" on that service. Anyway, I physically can't do much shoveling nor lawn mowing, so I've hired those things done. There really isn't money for that now, so I'm hoping I can get help via the time bank. It's new here, so there aren't that many people involved, so I don't know if it will pan out or not, but I'm trying it.

I counted today. 100 days until spring! I don't even like spring that much, but it means winter is behind us and summer is on the way.

Oh dear Father, touch our precious Edy today, relieve the pain, give her rest and heal her, I pray. Please, Father, keep any infection from developing and restore her strength and we'll give all the praise to You, the One who created and sustains us. We pray in the name of our dear Savior, Jesus, Amen.

Let it be so.

Edy, keep us infomed, ok? I received your Email and later today and after I attempt to wade through the clutter left by two very rambunctious but adorable boys, I'll give it a walk-through.I picked a bad time for such a request, didn't I? I'm sorry.

Laurie, it must be hard to be on your own, unwell and having to worry about finances and upkeep on your home in inclement weather. I pray that the God "who supplies all our needs" will affirm that promise to you today.

Someone sent me this cute message today.

RETIRED HEALTH MESSAGE

As I was lying in bed pondering the problems of the world, I realized that at my age I don't really care that much. LOL

It's the tortoise life for me!

1. If walking is good for your health, the postman would be immortal.2. A whale swims all day, only eats fish, drinks water, but is still fat.3. A rabbit runs and hops and only lives 15 years, but4. A tortoise doesn't run and does mostly nothing, yet it lives for 150 years.And you tell me to exercise?? I don't think so.

I'm retired. Go around me.

Mariane Holbrook

"For you are dead to yourself and your life is hid with Christ in God."Colossians 3:3

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE YOU MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS:As you open your pockets to do a good thing and make yourself feel good, please keep the following facts in mind: ----------------------------The American Red CrossPresident and CEO Marsha J. Evans' salary for the year was $651,957 plus expenses

MARCH OF DIMESIt is called the March of Dimes because only a dime for every 1 dollar is given to the needy.

The United WayPresident Brian Gallagher receives a $375,000 base salary along with numerous expense benefits.

UNICEFCEO Caryl M. Stern receives $1,200,000 per year (100k permonth) plus all expenses including a ROLLS ROYCE. Less than 5 cents of your donated dollar goes to the cause.

GOODWILLCEO and owner Mark Curran profits $2.3 million a year.Goodwill is a very catchy name for his business. You donate to his business and then he sells the items for PROFIT. He pays nothing for his products and pays his workers minimum wage! Nice Guy. $0.00 goes to help anyone! (CONTINUED BELOW) ---------------------------- Instead,give it to ANY OF THE FOLLOWING GO "GREEN" AND PUT YOUR MONEYWHERE IT WILL DO SOME GOOD:The Salvation ArmyCommissioner, Todd Bassett receives a small salary of only $13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization. 96 percent of donated dollars go to the cause.

The American LegionNational Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!The Veterans of Foreign WarsNational Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary.Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!

The Disabled American VeteransNational Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! The Military Order of Purple HeartsNational Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!

The Vietnam Veterans AssociationNational Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary.Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth!

Make a Wish: For children's last wishes.100% goes to funding trips or special wishes for a dying child.

St. Jude Research Hospital100% goes towards funding and helping Children with Cancer who have no insurance and cannot afford to pay.

Ronald McDonald HousesAll monies go to running the houses for parentswho have critical Children in the hospital.100% goes to housing, and feeding the families.

Lions Club International100% OF DONATIONS GO TO HELP THE BLIND,BUY HEARING AIDES, SUPPORT MEDICAL MISSIONSAROUND THE WORLD. THEIR LATEST UNDERTAKING IS MEASLES VACCINATIONS (ONLY $1.00 PER SHOT).

Mariane Holbrook

"For you are dead to yourself and your life is hid with Christ in God."Colossians 3:3

Mariane, thanks for understanding. With my health problems for pretty much all of my adult life, it's always been hard, and it just gets harder all the time.

Thanks for posting about these organizations. We have someone locally who used to distribute items for the Salvation Army. I don't recall the details of what happened there, but he broke off from them. He does the same things, but isn't affiliated with them anymore. The local organization he works with now takes out nothing for administrative costs so every penny of your donation passes on to someone who needs it. There are several other ways for people to give locally here, too. I suppose it's that way everywhere. I knew someone who made mittens every year and gave them to local churches to distribute to children who needed them. A friend of my mom told her the other day that their family isn't exchanging gifts this year, but is instead inviting a family who is struggling over for Christmas eve, and they'll provide a meal and gifts for that family instead.

My medication "hangover" finally dissolved this morning, after a half-cup of oatmeal and some ibuprofen, which stayed down! PTL! I don't ever plan on taking vicodin ever again. If I hadn't anticipated that the pain would be bad after the local anesthetic wore off, I'd have avoided it altogether. We live and learn. Ibuprofen does the job just fine, thankfully.

Laurie, your experience reminds me how vulnerable we all are. Then, I try to imagine how life must be for those that have so much less than we do, and I could dissolve in tears. We're in the midst of an interesting experience along those lines. A young friend of ours from church - a new EMT - recently provided a lift to a young man who just arrived by bus from prison. He only had an address, and she was brave enough to give him a ride, to the Volunteers of America residence.

When Howard got wind of it, he took Ron under his wing, and has driven him to where he needs to go to get ID renewed, winter clothes, etc. We pick him up for church (the Lord got ahold of him in prison) and I imagine he'll be invited to daughter Lonnie's for Christmas Eve with the family.

I have a hard time imagining how desolate life must be for anyone, like Ron, without close family connections, since I have such a vast reservoir full.

Mariane - thanks for the funny message. A merry heart does good like medicine - without the nasty side effects! You made me chuckle. I think I'll have to re-post it on facebook.

I'm glad you're better, Edy! I thought I was going to have to call a nurse! And your snow pictures are beautiful. It's hard to imagine my Minnesota friends enjoying snow when it has been so toasty here!

Finished two picture projects! Woo Hoo! It's a real challenge technologically to get them made.

I'm thankful for the blessings of Christmas today. May we ALWAYS be able to celebrate it in our nation!

Marianne, In enjoyed traveleing back to childhood with you. I have some "snow" memories from growing up in Ohio. The best fun was sledding down to the village dump (which we were forbidden to do!.)

*Steps on to soapbox*Sorry to jump in here to post a "complaint" of sorts, but in Missouri, at least, Goodwill does a LOT of good and helps a LOT of people. I'd love to know where that statistic came from. In Missouri, Goodwill is one of the main if not THE main service provider for Vocational Rehabilitation. They do NOT pay all their workers minimum wage. They have people with bachelor's degrees working behind the scenes helping people with disabilities get jobs, and they do NOT just help them get minimum wage jobs. At least in St. Louis, they also run a "sheltered workshop" specifically for people with disabilities (piecework, meaning it's below minimum wage, but these are people who are neglected by "competitive" or mainstream employers.) In St. Louis, Goodwill also has the contract with the bus company to clean buses, which means most people cleaning buses in St. Louis have a disability of some sort. So I would have to completely disagree about Goodwill. Goodwill is a lot more than the store, and a lot of Goodwill's work is behind the scenes and no one really knows about it, because they help people find jobs so they don't need as much from donations and charity. Sorry. Because of my job, Goodwill has a special place in my heart, and I will defend it.

Thanks, Allison. It's always good to have someone with "inside information" amend postings from the internet (some info can be reliable, but other info might be slanted by those with an axe to grind). I admit I was surprised to see the Goodwill listing, too, as I've always heard good things, as you report, about the Goodwill industries.

Allison, Thanks for letting us know what Goodwill is doing in your area. I'm not that familiar with the workings of Goodwill since we don't have one here in Podunk Hollow. I'm glad they employ VR clients.

We heard on the evening news that on this day, 12-12-12, at 12:12 a.m., it was 12 degrees! Isn't that a hoot? On this date, my paternal grandmother was born - the last time the calendar read 12-12-12 for her birthday, she would have been 51 years old. My dad, the youngest of her 14 children, would have been seven. None of us will ever see another 12-12-12 date, although my nephew claims that he will, due to taking his daily vitamins.

I almost forgot to add that I have a give-away (free to enter) until December 30 at http://www.goodreads.com/ for my book of poetry DON'T FRIGHTEN THE PANSIES. This is a really fun free website with lots to explore about books. I just recently joined the site and have won a give-away of another book.